ARTS EDUCATORI am currently a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis working towards my Missouri Art Education Certification (K-12). My teaching experiences include working for the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), the Saint Louis Art Museum, and Med-O-Lark Summer Camp in Maine.

Teaching Philosophy

The smell and feeling of spring serves as an appropriate analogy for the classroom culture I hope to create as an arts educator. Spring brings a sense of hope and awakening. Small buds begin to bloom on trees. There is optimism in the air, as if change is inevitable and will be welcomed. I want to provide a similar feeling of optimism and renewed hope within my classroom. I want my students to feel like despite their previous history in my classroom or with another teacher, every day brings a new chance to succeed.

I hope to foster growth, creativity, and an on-going sense of curiosity within my students. As an artist, these are three areas where I am personally trying to constantly improve and learn. I view art as a community practice. Having thoughts, ideas, and input from your peers is crucial to the making process. Interacting with fellow artists can also lead to the generation of new ideas and potential for collaboration. While art is often considered a solitary practice, I believe showing my students the way their work can impact communities will be crucial to helping them understand the relevance of the arts.

The Missouri Teacher Standards are formulated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. There are nine standards designed to assist and encourage growth among professional teachers in the state. Click below to find out how I plan to implement these standards in my future classroom.